They can work *with* local law enforcement, but thats as far as it goes, because theyre federal. Which most of us dont want to read. christendom college racism. The first amendment offers incredible protections for shoddy journalism like this piece offers. There is a problem when Hollywood is doing a better job, and that problem deserves a discussion. Saunders left his position as dean, and founding faculty member Dr. Kristin Burns took over the position. Oh my gosh. That is no small feat. In 2021, the rugby team won the National Collegiate Rugby Cohen Cup National Championship in Houston, Texas, defeating New Mexico Tech. Be a patron of the (f)arts! How clear is our no, really? You described lust and difficulty mastering it. Is that whats happening right now?'. New student orientation includes a session that covers sexual harassment and assault, reporting, and on-campus resources for support. I mainly left because they wouldnt give tenure to the head of the sacred music department because he refused to teach the history of contemporary Christian music. The clear goal of the piece is to call the school on to a more truly Catholic approach to handling this topic, and it does so effectively. They have a right to speak about the crimes committed against them. Calling down secular Title IX laws onto a place like this is stupid and illogical. After graduation, she went to a catholic high school that was run by nuns. Your email address will not be published. Funding for the creation of this archive was generously provided by Christendom College. so: it is either a case of the same writer pretending to be two writer. or CC issues pre-fabed letters that require only a signature- if that. [T]he alleged assault of Adele did not take place on campus. No, it takes opening a word document and writing it up: Dont rape people. If theres a single member on your board who has an issue with that, they shouldnt be on that board, Smith said.. Would you like to explain, please, what you mean by inaccuracies? But you arent asking that question seriously. [36] He has had no interaction with the school since 2015, the college said in an interview with the Northern Virginia Daily, adding that Luckeys relationship with the school would not continue. Perhaps could have been goaded into admitting he forced her against her will via text if tweeked in the right way. Im a current female student at Christendom, class of 2020, and I feel safe on campus. Her GPA slipped to 1.2. Best of luck! It wouldnt quite be in keeping with her recent essay about letting go of anger. Where would be a better Catholic college to send your daughter, Simcha? Maybe because I studied theology and philosophy I did not experience this? Oh, and I also had the 'privilege' of meeting Dr. William Luckey, a blathering self-important moron who was somehow capable of being an ancap and an anti-French-Revolution conservative Catholic at the same time, despite both stances contradicting each other and observable reality. Then on November 24, 2009, you sat next to her on a bench and made unwanted contact with her by placing your hand on her knee. The other allegations against him were also by hearsay, and they put those allegations in writing and asked him to defend himself. I remember at one point breaking into tears talking to someone because I missed the DHS so much. This article does not do justice to the universitys apparent efforts to remain impartial, while also considering how to better serve women who have been raped. 2023 Christendom College. . That is exactly what you are saying, men cant control themselves so woman have to. [33] The college hired Husch-Blackwell to audit campus compliance with best practices in sexual assault and harassment cases, although it is not bound to do so by Title IX as the College does not accept federal funding of Title IV. Anyway, while on a work call I found a mattress and sheets in the back room surrounded by rose petals and candles. And some of the friends that I made. Through it, you will gain the communication and critical thinking skills necessary to refine and elevate your intellect and enable you to pursue your profession and personal vocation. It was a moral failure that took the form of an administrative failure. Lol there was the one time I said I was suicidal youll go to hell he replied I dont care I responded your psychotic he said. I distinctly remember going back and forth with a friar who had a terminal degree in theology about whether the immaculate conception implies hard determinism and thus refutes the notion of moral responsibility and therefore Catholicism in general. It has been hard to process that and it is hard to look back without having suspicions towards many of even the "well-meaning and reasonable" authorities on campus. Wed use the in-campus phones in the lobby or in our dorm rooms to call security. Well be waiting forever. But is it really fair to expect men to navigate all the mixed signals? Rob, earlier in the comments, gave wonderful suggestions as to what the school could do, and what he would expect them to do(that they did not), but its still worth noting that the article itself mentions things the school DID do to try to protect the students. In 2015, Christendom was left off of President Barack Obama's College Scorecard, which was created to help high school graduates pick schools. 2) If the college does anything to improve, dont actually describe their efforts in the article. Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan donated 19th Century wooden stations of the cross to the Chapel, and it was dedicated by Cardinal Jan Schotte, Pope John Paul II's Secretary-General to the World Synod of Bishops. That doesnt really sound like they didnt take it seriously, but that they went above and beyond the accusation at face value and tried to address it by doing extensive research. What drives couples off campus is the desire to do things that are prohibited on campus. But by not questioning the accused on the matter of rape (it wasnt mentioned in his disciplinary notice), the college forfeited responsibility altogether. Is the suggestion that Christendom should act in the place of the police, even without evidence of the rape? Im so sorry you were raped, Jenislawski said. Im not saying that the accused should have been expelled. This article sounds like Stephanie Meyer had a hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! I cant get into grad school with my GPA. Im sorry, I would not want to hurt anyone and I certainly cant judge the situation. But yeah, there was definitely navet in spades. That comment So goes the other way. I remember clearly two instances where a professor I respected and a male friend who I valued told me to my face that women were inferior in ability and authority to men and ought to accept that. I think rape should be a clearly defined and promulgated capital crime so there would be fewer instances and false allegations. Not super romantic. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. Christendom is nearly unique among Catholic colleges and universities in that, because it accepts no federal funding, it is not subject to the legal constraints of Title IX. I have to wonder why people entrust a liberal arts school board to be able to fairly assess rape allegations, when law enforcement werent able to.. It is a call to be honest about their mistakes, so they can address them in a properly Christian manner. I still have very fond memories of my time there and still actively keep in touch with my classmates and friends there, despite living across the country from most of them. A journalist should protect his good name until he is proven guilty, but the school should not? Does the handbook have to repeat the entire criminal code? This subreddit is for any and all ex-Catholics to talk, educate, discuss and maybe even bitch about their experiences within the Catholic Church. The more men have to be heroic, the more women do as well. While not commenting on this particular scenario, it got me musing (once again) on the whole problem of sexual assault and the current #metoo movement. If you think writing dont rape people would solve anything it should be noted that most universities dont have a dont commit mass genocide policy either. The school apparently based its response on two facts: First, there was, in 2011, no clause in the student handbook prohibiting sexual assault. Students werent forced off campus to have sex; they always found some place to do it, even if it was in a medieval dungeon. ok, but what evidence did the college have that he did? Not the most helpful thing, Mrs. Fischer. I had been waiting for marriage. Again, this is the convenient thing about being a private institution: you can act in seemingly arbitrary ways in order to achieve what you know to be the common good. And your describing it as such in the comments on a piece about rape is insulting and denigrating. She did go to the police. We should demand it be better. FORTIFYING A COLLEGE THAT PROUDLY REJECTS FEDERAL AID. Statute of limitations on many crimes, among others. Undergraduate students combine a liberal arts core-curriculum with eventual upper-level courses in their major field (or fields) of study. Unfortunately sometimes the police are notified and when they investigate the alleged crime they find out that everything does not add up as the accuser states it happened. Another day, while other students played some sort of game on campus, the young man approached her and began to insist that she slap him across the face. Up until that point, I considered myself fairly knowledgeable, she said. In 2010, after the church sex abuse scandal, the air force academy sexual assault scandal, among others, its horrendously negligent not to have these policies. Please read above reply concerning accountability. Most of the responses have been supportive. I hope you will also do an expose on colleges such as Notre Damethe wackadoodle attitudes I encountered there regarding women and sex would make your head spin. I miss the sacred music program there. And the sexist views of some professors didnt help us stay safe. Good job trying to romanticize rape, but your writing would be more appropriate in a pornographic novel, where creeps actually try to convince themselves women enjoy being raped. Marshner has since left Christendom. You might think to yourself, as Miss Smith did for example, Is this really happening? with 50% terror and 50% thrill. The reports indicate that Adele Smith indicated, after a prior incident with you, that she no longer wanted a relationship with you. The rape in question occurred because two students of opposite sexes were alone together. I marched in the March for Life and protested a DC abortion clinic; for anyone whose lives I made worse by pushing anti-abortion propaganda, I am truly sorry. Christendom College is a private Catholic college in Virginia. There was nothing to stop this from happening again, Smith said. But at the same time, Christendom was a dream in a bubble. Come on. The school does not accept federal funding. So printing, rape is not tolerated or whatever they expected to be printed in the handbook sounds a little naive. And yeah, I knew a lot of people who thought women shouldnt vote. In essence, the earliest vision of Christendom was a vision of a Christian theocracy, a government founded upon and upholding Christian values, whose institutions are spread through and over with Christian doctrine. This is how the native people on the mens side of campus live! This is not how young people engage in a normal way. Her parents, brother, and friends encouraged her to transfer. But you dont know more than that. It felt like a never ending guilt trip. Christendom is praised as a safe haven where young students can focus on their studies, grow in their faith, and breathe the Catholic air. But several former and current students say the schools sheltered, highly structured campus culture actually facilitates sexual assault and that the administration works harder to protect its reputation than it does to protect its students. Carroll decided not to accept federal funding at the college, choosing instead to rely on generous benefactors. For the record, my first year of university was spent at a secular institution in mixed accommodation with no regulations on behaviour between the sexes. The people from Christendom would be considered heretics by hard core traditional Catholics, and by the letter of the law they would be right (at least in my view). by | Oct 29, 2021 | peter hughes escape to the country | pinocchio's london road sheffield menu | Oct 29, 2021 | peter hughes escape to the country | pinocchio's london road sheffield menu Each day she is persuaded that the college has no intention of supporting her. unless you are a member of the clergy etc YOU ARE IN THE SECULAR WORLD. There was nothing to stop this from happening again, Smith said. This response sounds like a trolling hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! It is difficult seeing as how the incident was years old before she brought it to Admins attention and it happened without witnesses, like the on campus stuff, to determine one way or the other. What was he going to say? No matter what your belief now, or if you have no belief at all. To think that anyone could do that to such a young child is eye-opening indeed, and helpful to know for those of us raising kids to know what to beware of. The young woman went to the police, and due to the lack of evidence, they could not press charges. But I think what this often boils down to is he said vs she said. There are women who lie, even if they are a tiny minority. Simcha, Im honestly curious what your objective is in publishing something like this? The Colleges Front Royal campus overlooks the Shenandoah River with scenic views of the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains. It may be that the whole thing wasnt handled as it should have been, but then, how should it have been handled? Others have already addressed most of my concerns here though I would point out sexual assault is something that must be reported promptly. All rights reserved. He kept saying, Hit me. He kept grabbing my hand and trying to make me slap him, Smith said. Ive never read porn, eeek! You shooting in the dark hoping to hit a target, isnt helping. Lol, they arent bound by such conventions! At that point, any option is deteriorating in safety. I also think men need to be educated, be kept accountable, and step up their game. I remember thinking, Is that what I think it is? A female Residence Life staff member now lives in the womens residence halls. Like the stuff sang at the FOPs. #2. letter kind of reminds me of sessions of my 8th grade social dancing classes Lately, I've started "coming out" as an agnostic to most of my friends from there. I am not only respected by my peers but also my teachers. In April of 2011, Smith decided to tell the police about the rape. The two students in the article drove past a large number of public places where they could have held hands or kissed. To find out more about Student Achievement at Christendom, click here. The passion rises. She has nightmares about the incident. These are some of the difficult questions the college should have asked itself. Disclosing abuse and its aftermath is painful and difficult, and it takes a tremendous amount of courage. Liked it? #3. It still deserves to be addressed adequately by the Admins, but we were much safer than most campuses. What exactly did you expect to happen, or could have happened? To those students who have been harmed, I am deeply sorry. Christendom College is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The last thing Christendom needs is a kangaroo court that believes everything that comes out of accusers mouths. Every Novus Ordo girl I know knows better than to get in the backseat of a parked car with a guy unless they are willing to risk rape. Click here to learn more. I would like to know so that I can have a fair understanding of the situation. Few go this far and remain unharmed. Smiths criticisms of the university are reported on at length, while nowhere is the universitys current policy on sexual assault quoted or described. we have reports that indicate that you have violated the Code of Student Conduct by harassing another student and causing emotional harm. These are Catholic seminarians. Now, perhaps well-meaning couples end up going farther in private than they would if they could kiss in public, but were not talking about well-meaning couples, were talking about rapists and victims. BUT. Why do we have to wait for the guy to respond? [12] Needing a major gift to launch the project, O'Donnell prayed with then-Executive Vice President Mark McShurley for help and, within 30 minutes of praying together, an anonymous donor called to pledge $250,000 to the Chapel fund. Following allegations that Christendom College mishandled student sexual assault reports, the college's administration has said it is committed to doing better. Despite those inaccuracies, the hearts and prayers of our entire Christendom College community go out to all involved in the incidents described and to anyone who may be a victim of sexual harassment or assault. From its founding, Christendom College has rejected federal funding. Rather, it is a guide the way, the truth, and the life.[26], By refusing to accept most forms of federal funding, Christendom College is exempt from many federal guidelines concerning sex-based and other forms of discrimination (e.g., Title IX), investigations into accusations of sexual abuse, and the sharing of information about on-campus crimes. I believe Miss Smiths story too, but I cant verify it. Rights to a speedy trial. Consent is not nebulous. It only works with Weinstein and Cosby because there were like 30+ allegations. Simchas husband, Damien, proceeded to imply that she was lying and has contented multiple times that her quote was not taken out of context. If Simcha cant openly accuse the guy of rape, how can the school? The whole narrative actually seems quite dependent on that, as they pretty much did everything shy of that. Huh. Could it be because the policy might show the school in a favorable light? I always find it interesting they always try to punish students for drinking off campus, if you come back to campus drunk, Smith said. [3] Carroll stepped back to focus on teaching history and writing, remaining on the faculty and serving as the chairman of the history department until his retirement in 2002. 2) The schools which do not have PDA rules, or whose rules are less strict still have rape. I wasn't really prepared for the amount of raw heresy I was surrounded with. However, then the college has to be careful not to be encouraging a back seat car scenario in their recreation rooms. Absolutely, but leaders have to weigh the pros and cons, of which there are many, and seek the greater good. There is much that reeks of shoddy reporting in these two pieces: basically only one side was presented when the facts were right in front of the Fishers (e.g., through the current student handbook and interviewees). 3) Reinforce this impression with nebulous allegations of serious problems in the current environment. I think maybe it lies in the fact that, because interactions between the sexes are so tightly regulated, couples are far more likely to ensure they are completely out of sight of anyone else, thus providing more opportunities for those with less than pure intentions. The article linked directly to the current handbook.. Most likely she was in a Trad house and that is why they considered it beneath them to discuss sex at all with their daughter and how to protect herself from seedy guys. And people worrying too much about specks in other peoples eyes and not the planks in their own or if they did worry about their own planks, it was to an extraordinarily high level of scrupulosity. They were in a confined space; the young man was around six feet tall, and Smith is five feet tall. Rest assured, I've cast off my own self-imposed shackles; it's much easier to approach the world and the people in it without worrying that they're not living up to Catholicism's impossible standards. Miriel. Ill be brief, and in no particular order, but: Your charity is overwhelming. National Congress On The Word Of God: A Two-Edged Sword By WILLIAM H. MARSHNER. I said the college had an obligation to investigate by questioning him directly (in a private setting) about the rape. But actual campus police on a campus of 400? Just like all men who overpower women should, personally Id like to know if he grew up in a Novus Ordo mass if we are going to start taking these types of potshots.and if his parents did too..